Fire breaks out during cultural programme at 'Make in India' event in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A massive fire broke out on Sunday evening during a cultural programme at Make In India week event in Mumbai. The fire broke out below the stage during the programme.

Several VIPS were present at the event. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and governor C Vidyasagar Rao who were present during the programme were quickly moved out of the area.

However, Devendra Fadnavis stayed at the spot and personally monitored the operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to CM Fadnavis and took stock of the situation.

"14 Fire engines,10 Water Tankers, and all Sr. Fire Officers are on site. Fire now totally under control. Program called off," Fadnavis tweeted.

"A cutural programme was organized. We suddenly saw fire in the lower portion of the stage. We evacuated all the people. We had created a disaster management programme and everything was done according to it. All the SOPs were followed. There is no injury. Now we will conduct an inquiry to know the cause of the fire," Fadnavis told reporters after the fire was brought under control.

The disaster management plan put in place ensured the safe passage of the people attending the event--"Maharashtra Rajni", said Fadnavis.

Uddhav Thackeray, several ministers, celebrities, foreign delegates and lots of people were present to watch the function.

All of them were evacuated immediately.

Amitabh Bachchan had left the stage a few minutes before the fire started.

Actor Aamir Khan was all praise for the "orderly evacuation" at the spot.

Several fire tenders were brought in to control the fire.

According to eye witness, a dance performance was going on and suddenly the stage was on fire.

As the fire started, organizers used small fire extinguishers to douse the flame. However, the fire spread very fast and engulfed the entire stage, said TV reports.

There are no casualties reported as of now.

"The fire was uncontrollable, luckily people have been evacuated. The authorities worked very quickly. It was unfortunate, but everybody got out safe including VVIPs, 20,000 to 25,000 people were there. Suddenly the fire broke out. Luckily, the fire exits were clearly defined," said Poonam Mahajan.

"I was there at the event because Mr Bachchan was reciting my poem. As soon as the recital got over, I left the venue and another event started and suddenly the fire broke out. I was out looking for my car when this happned, hope everyone is safe," said Prasoon Joshi.

The stage, officials say was designed by Nitin Chandrakant Desai and the entire event was managed by Wizcraft and costed the government Rs 4 crore.

HC had earlier denied permissions to the state government to host the event at Girgaum, the government approached the Supreme Court, which they gave permissions.

MUMBAI: A massive fire broke out on Sunday evening during a cultural programme at 'Make In India' week event in Mumbai. The fire broke out below the stage during the programme where many VVIPs were present.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan had left the stage a few minutes before the fire started.

The authorities are now evacuating people from the venue. There are no reports of any casualties.

Here are some eyewitness accounts:

Ashish Shelar, BJP leader: "I must complement the authorities for quick action, they saved lives of many people."

Poonam Mahajan, BJP leader: "The fire was uncontrollable, luckily people have been evacuated. The authorities worked very quickly. It was unfortunate, but everybody got out safe. Including the VVIPs, 20,000-25,000 people were there at the venue when this happened. Suddenly the fire broke out. Luckily, the fire exits were clearly defined and everyone was able to get out safely."

Prasoon Joshi, lyricist: "I was there at the event because Mr Bachchan was reciting my poem. As soon as the recital got over, I left the venue and another event started and suddenly the fire broke out. I was out looking for my car when this happened. I hope everyone is safe."

Shreyas Talpade, actor: "We are safe, we moved out at the right time. Don't know what exactly caused the fire. I was watching a performance and was supposed to enter the stage after that. I was watching it from the wings. The moment we were told there is a fire, we started getting people out of there. Many performers were present there at that time."

Isha Koppikar, actor: "I was watching a dance performance when this happened, then suddenly the stage was engulfed by smoke. I was backstage when this happened, but just hope nobody is hurt. Authorities were quick to react and evacuated people from there."

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government, which is hosting the ambitious Make in India Week, faced a major embarrassment when a massive fire destroyed the stage during a cultural show at Girgaum Chowpatty on Sunday evening. No casualties or injuries were reported.

Many dignitaries and several thousands of citizens were safely evacuated when the fire started below the stage where the sound and lighting equipment was placed.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was present during the show, described the incident as "unfortunate'' and announced an inquiry. He said the ongoing Make in India programme will go on as scheduled. The stage, which was entirely gutted, was designed by art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai.

Mumbai police spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni said a case of accidental fire will be registered. "We are in the process of establishing the exact cause of fire," he said.

There was speculation that the fire started because of bursting of crackers on the stage. 14 fire engines and ten water tankers were rushed to the spot and the flames were doused within an hour. Among the dignitaries were governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Aamir Khan and Vivek Oberoi among others.

An eye-witness said the fire started beneath the stage while a lavani dance performance was on. "The CM was in the front row, but he did not leave the spot," he said. Others said inflammable material used to design the stage and strong winds allowed the fire to spread quickly.

The CM said a fire safety audit was conducted prior to the programme and all standard operating procedures were followed.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devemdra Fadnavis, who was present at a function at the 'Make in India' event in Mumbai on Sunday evening, ordered an investigation into the devastating fire that engulfed a stage at the venue.

While no casualties were reported, preliminary inquiry revealed that short circuit from an electrical wire – under the main stage - led to the devastation, which took place during the cultural programme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the 'Make in India' week in Mumbai on Saturday.
At the time of the incident a large number of delegates, investors, politicians and actors were present. All of them were immediately evacuated by the fire department officials and the local police.

Sources said, "VVIPs like Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his wife Amruta Fadnavis, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, actor Amitabh Bachchan, Amir Khan, Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao were present in the event. All of them were immediately taken out of the venue."

Confirming that the situation was not alarming, Devendra Fadnavis said, "It is very unfortunate incident. No casualties have been reported and no one is injured. The fire is under control."

A comprehensive inquiry into the incidence of fire will be conducted to ascertain reasons.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 14, 2016

He added, "A fire safety audit was conducted prior to programme and all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were followed. A comprehensive inquiry into the incidence of fire will be conducted to ascertain reasons."

A fire safety audit was conducted prior to programme &all SOPs were followed. Number of fire fighting equipments were kept stationed at venue.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 14, 2016

Additional fire tenders were pressed into action to douse the blaze. "A total of 14 fire engines and 10 water tankers are at the spot. The situation is under control but the stage was completely gutted," sources said.

Those who were present were seen running out in panic. Some of them were also heard screaming for help.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, BJP leader and actress Hema Malini, who was also present on occasion, said, "I am fine and safe. The fire broke out when artists were performing a folk dance. I don’t know what caused the fire."

The video footage revealed that the fire broke out under the stage on which artists were performing folk dance. Volunteers were seen alerting artists to run for their safety.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the 'Make in India' week in Mumbai on Saturday.

The event will provide a huge opportunity for the nation to exhibit its "manufacturing prowess" and attract billions of dollars in investments from domestic and global majors.

Over 2,500 international and 8,000 domestic companies will be participating in the week-long multi-sectoral industrial event, which will be attended by foreign government delegations from 68 countries and business teams from 72 nations.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Fadnavis and inquired about the fire.

PM @narendramodi has spoken to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis over the fire incident in Mumbai.

What was supposed to be a glitzy song-and-dance night on the sidelines of the Make in India Week turned into a disaster as a massive fire on the stage brought the festivity at Mumbai’s Girgaum Chowpatty to a grinding halt, much to the embarrassment of the Devendra Fadnavis-led NDA government. No one was hurt.

Mr. Fadnavis, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, the entire Maharashtra cabinet, and A-list Bollywood stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Aditya Roy Kapoor were present at the event. According to government officials, close to 20,000 people had gathered to watch the much-publicised event.

Around 8.20 p.m. on Sunday, fire broke out under the stage when a troupe of dancers was performing on the stage. Police personnel immediately rushed towards the stage bringing the performance to a halt. The strong evening wind fanned the fire and within seconds the entire stage along with the strobe lights were engulfed in a billowing blaze. Sounds of explosions were heard due to the presence of gas cylinders at the venue.

Chaos reigned, and within minutes thousands of spectators who were spread over the beach enclosure made a quick dash for the exits and were evacuated from the spot. The Mumbai Police and Mumbai Fire Brigade took control of the evacuation and of dousing the fire respectively.

Four fire tenders were at the spot and 14 more were rushed to Chowpatty, along with 10 water tankers and eight jumbo tankers. The police barricaded the area and diverted traffic. Chief Fire officer P. Rahangdale said the fire was controlled in 38 minutes. Around 8:56 pm, Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, told Mr. Fadnavis, “All well.”

The Bombay High Court had denied permission for the event. However, the Maharashtra government sought the Supreme Court’s nod for the event.

A visibly shaken Chief Minister called the incident “extremely unfortunate” and ordered “a comprehensive inquiry” into the cause of the fire. “It is extremely unfortunate as an important cultural event was being held. We began the evacuation process immediately. All the civilians and artists were safely evacuated. A fire audit of the event was conducted four days ago and a disaster management plan was prepared. We have ordered an inquiry into the causes of the fire, to find out if there were any lapses and if SOPs (standard operating procedures) were followed. Further action will be taken based on the probe. There was a spark under the stage and because there was cloth and wood, it spread rapidly,” Mr Fadnavis told reporters.

The incident has cast a shadow on the Make In India Week, the Centre’s big ticket investment programme for Maharashtra, though Mr. Fadnavis assured that it will not impact the event. “A comprehensive inquiry into the incidence of fire will be conducted to ascertain reasons,” Mr. Fadnavis tweeted. “All Make In India programmes will be conducted as scheduled.”

Actor Vivek Oberoi who was the presenter for the event said, “There was chaos even backstage. Artists were scrambling for their phones and belongings. The show was good. It is sad this had to happen. All the performers were shifted to 400 metres of the stage immediately. The evacuation process was smooth,” he told mediapersons.

Mumbai: A massive fire broke out during a cultural event at the Make In India week in Mumbai this evening. The 'Maharashtra Night' was the flagship event of the Maharashtra government and a number of politicians - including the Chief Minister and the Governor -- and Bollywood actors were attending it.

Nearly 30 minutes after it broke out, the fire has been brought under control.

The fire started just after the performance of actor Amitabh Bachchan. It spread rapidly, spread by a strong wind till the whole stage - a creation of Bollywood set designer Nitin Desai -- was gutted.

"I was waiting in my make-up van. My performance was in an hour. Then my staff told me that there is a fire. So, I stepped out to see. And sure enough the stage was on fire. And it's so windy the fire spread at an alarming speed," said actor Aamir Khan.

"The event was underway when fire broke out, we ran to save our lives. We don't know the reason for the fire," said an eyewitness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Make in India Week yesterday as a showcase event for the government's flagship manufacturing scheme.

The silver lining for organisers of the Maharashtra Night event at Girgaum Chowpatty on Sunday evening was that despite the massive fire burning down the entire stage, the fire brigade and police officials together averted a bigger crisis by implementing a swift and effective evacuation.

Nearly 7,000 people, including dignitaries and Bollywood stars, were evacuated within the first 10 minutes. Immediately after the fire broke out around 8.20 pm, officials said, a pre-approved disaster management plan for the event that had been practised in advance was activated. “It was executed well,” said a senior fire department officer.

He added, “Avoiding panic or a stampede-like situation was the first priority. People were evacuated through various exits.”
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also praised the rescue operation later. “We had conducted a fire safety audit at the venue four days ago and a comprehensive disaster management plan was designed for the evening. A debriefing session was also held before the event. All dignitaries and performers were aware of the various emergency exits. This led to swift evacuation. There was no traffic trouble too,” he said.

Apart from 14 fire tenders and 10 water tankers that were pressed into service, Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh said, six ambulances were mobilised. “All civic, government and private hospitals in the area were put on alert,” he said. As part of fire safety measures for the event, the Mumbai Fire Brigade had already stationed four fire engines and two ambulances at the venue.
The disaster management plan worked smoothly around the five exit points. First, the chief minister and his family were evacuated, followed by Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. They left from the exit near the Nana Nani park. Other ministers and foreign dignitaries seated behind them were also evacuated from the same exit.

Another exit, the one opening near the Chowpatty traffic signal, was used to evacuate Bollywood actors and dignitaries seated behind them. About 200 to 300 dignitaries were escorted out from here. Three other exits on the main road were used to evacuate the public. One entrance was used to allow men to leave, another for women and children and third for families.

The traffic department of the Mumbai Police swung into action to prevent traffic jams, and vehicular movement was temporarily suspended at the Babulnath and Air India junctions to prevent further ingress of vehicles on to Marine Drive .

“These roads had to be blocked, people had spilled on to the roads. The road already congested couldn’t be further crowded by vehicles. The fire brigade needed to reach soon, we needed to create space for them,” said a senior traffic department official. “Movements of important dignitaries were tracked by our CCTV camera network. Their convoy was diverted towards the suburbs,” he said.
After the fire was doused, some vehicles parked near the venue could not be moved as their drivers could not be located. Police announcements were being made asking for drivers to head to their vehicles. One announcement was also made asking for whoever had the keys to actor Aamir Khan’s vanity van to report to the policemen.

The dancers on stage and in the green rooms were the most relieved. Most of them who were backstage when the fire broke out escaped by breaking the green room door and running out towards the sea. “The only people who did not know there was a fire were the dancers who were performing on the stage. The music was stopped soon after the fire was noticed and the crowd began screaming to alert them to run towards the back. “There were over 1,000 people backstage in the green rooms or waiting for their turn to perform. The wind direction was leading to the fire fanning towards where the most number of people were. Some of us had to break the green room and run,” said Pompi Mondol, a dancer at the venue.

Mondol said her bag that had her wallet, PAN card and clothes was missing as that of several artistes whose bags were in the green room. “So much happened all of a sudden that we just ran for our lives. We didn’t bother to take anything along,” said Mondol.

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 14, 2016
Calling the incident ‘unfortunate’ CM Fadnavis said that the fire had been brought under control and gave information about the relief operations in a series of tweets.

Very unfortunate occurrence of fire in cultural program organised by GoM at Mumbai. No casualties reported, no one is injured.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 14, 2016
He also said that the venue was evacuated immediately and traffic management allowed early dispersal without any trouble.

14 Fire engines,10 Water Tankers, and all Sr. Fire Officers are on site. Fire now totally under control. Program called off.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 14, 2016
Fadnavis said a comprehensive inquiry into the incidence of fire will be conducted to ascertain the reasons.

According to disaster management officials, the fire was a Grade 2 event that calls for eight fire engines.

Officials, however, rushed 14 fire tenders and 10 water tankers to the spot.

“We were shocked and confused when someone shouted ‘fire!’. We found that the fire wasn’t that bad initially,” said Anjana Sukhani, one of the dancers who was on the stage.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Make in India week in the city exhorting global business giants to set bases in the country.